Lub-Dub My Heart
by Solstice1394
Summary: I was looking at all prompts and I stumbled across one I loved thank you Ultracape from Live Journal (more details inside). summary: Neal has ventricular septal defect that his lovers find out about. OT3 Neal/Peter/El I love you if you take a look but if this isn't for you don't worry about reading it.
1. lub

Title: "Lub-dub My Heart"

Author: Solstice1394

Prompt Fill for Ultracape and the prompt was: "TRIGGERY FOR MEDICAL PROBLEMS - OT3 Neal was born with a heart murmur which never gave him problems and so he saw himself as indestructible. However with the stress of recent events, i.e. season three, he's experiencing chest pains, breathlessness, fatigue, palpitations and has fainted for a moment without anyone knowing, he thinks." Circa 2011 not on the current season.

Summary: Neal has ventricular septal defect that his lovers find out about.

AN So I know it's late like 3 years late but I was going over prompts to be inspired and I stumbled across this. I wanted to fill it here is my attempt I hope you like it. Another thing if you read my work that has to do with medical things, then you might know my paramedic/doctor OC she is a little alter ego my hypochondriac mind came up with. If you can pick her out (tell me) it's a challenge within the story if you like. If you don't then don't worry about it.

_memories_

WC

_"Mrs. Bennett I believe he will grow out of his heart condition. Remember to look out for it just to be sure we don't know much about David's condition yet," the older doctor told Neal's mom._

_Neal had believed what his mother had told him that he had been fine after the check-up and he believed her. When he ran from the truth when he was 18 all the way to New York the heart defect had disappeared from his mind like his life before Mozzie._

WC

Neal woke that morning remembering being in the Marshall program and being 6 or 7 with a heart problem. He shook off the old remembrances, thinking nothing of it. He barely remembered the rest of it anyway he just wanted to get on with his morning.

"Morning June," Neal greeted his land lady as he tied a robe around his waist and sat down for breakfast.

"Good morning Neal, I heard you got in late last night I'm surprised you're up this early," June smiled and side stepped as a way of getting at the truth.

"Well Peter wants me out of the house and at the bureau at 8, have to do what the boss man says," Neal sipped at his coffee not really eating he laughed on the inside thinking about Peter as his boss.

"Well wasn't Peter who kept you out late last night," June sipped at her own coffee hiding her smile behind the mug.

"Yeah just a goodnight with everyone," Neal suppressed a smile he knew that June knew about Peter and El spending the night every once in a while in his bed as he did theirs.

"So did you bring that book I recommended to Elizabeth or did you forget it on the counter in the wrapping," June asked as she smiled around her spoon like a cat finally catching the mouse. June wanted to remind Neal that the book was a gift for Elizabeth's birthday in 3 days.

"Yes I did I also brought that wine for Peter's big surprise dinner and now the meat is marinating for 3 days." Neal sipped the last of his coffee and excused himself from the table to get ready for the morning.

Neal was heading into work he had a busy day of mortgage fraud and Jones and Diana slipping files into his pile of paperwork. It was a nice moment to think of after all the stress he felt about the treasure looming over him like jewel encrusted dagger to his neck. He still felt tired but he thought that was normal after the nights escapades with a very happy to see him El and a very willing partner in his partner.

Neal stepped onto the 21st floor and saw Peter smiling for the first time in weeks maybe he had finally dropped Neal as a suspect. Neal's heart leapt at the prospect of being stress free for a few hours of time wouldn't Mozzie be happy for him at the prospect.

"Guess what," Peter smacked Neal on the shoulder with a blue folder.

"What," Neal played along knowing Peter would get to the point if he waited a second.

"I have got a new lead on the treasure something about a dock being rented out to a dummy cooperation tripped a flag with the renters background check." Peter beamed and Neal smiled really wide for a moment and then felt his heart skip a beat either it was really doing that or his head was playing tricks.

"That's great Peter so what did you hear about the lead where is it taking you and Di. Don't think I don't know about Diana and renters background check." Peter beamed and Neal smiled really wide for a moment and then felt his heart skip a beat either it was really doing that or his head was playing tricks.

"That's great Peter so what did you hear about the lead. Where is it taking you and Di? Don't think I don't know about Diana and you. El and I are placing bets on who will find the treasure first you or her." Neal laughed and disappeared behind his desk after having felt a little dizzy.

"That is all I can tell you but you and El stop making bets because you're corrupting my wife," Peter scolded before winking at Neal he knew El enough that no one would make her do anything she didn't want to do.

"Okay but only because you hold my heart you big lug," Neal whispered to Peter's back as he walked away to his office.

WC

Neal was calling to Mozzie to move everything and fix the warehouse problem; Neal wanted to physically throttle Mozzie for testing him like this. One minute Neal, Peter and El are happy to celebrate the return to each other and the next second he was being interrogated by his lover for something he hadn't done.

Here he was at 34 in love on one part of his life and the other full of stress from a job he loved but hated at the same time. Now it felt like everything was upside down but Mozzie and he where the only ones who knew it yet.

"Neal you ready to go, it's lunch time and I drew the short straw so you're helping me carry today," Jones slapped his hands together as he grabbed his coat for cold day.

"Yeah just no more weird orders from Jake right?" Neal joked about the probie who was a little weird in his taste he seemed secretly pregnant.

"Yeah he's out sick today, so are most of the probies I think it's the mortgage fraud flu," Jones laughed as he pressed the button to call the elevator.

"Oh so it must be the end of the month," Neal laughed with Jones on the way down knowing that all the mortgage cases for some reason grew at the end of the month like all the files were alive.

"I think they're alive in the file cabinets sometimes you can hear them talking," Jones looked like Mozzie when he was on one of his rants about a new conspiracy.

"You been hanging out with Mozzie or have you just been enjoying some more whiskey," Neal asked a little cautiously before he laughed with Jones exiting the elevator.

When Neal and Jones returned arms fool of lunch orders surprisingly they're arms became very light within in a few minutes. Neal was a little relieved Jones goof humor had helped with his stress levels though if Mozzie would call back with news that would help more.

Neal walked to Peter's office and deposited the lunch getting a friendly or maybe playful spank on his ass as he was shooed out of the office while Peter talked on the phone. Anyone who looked up would have thought that Peter was annoyed with Neal and not at all playing with his lover. Neal went down the hall distributing the other 3 orders for the probies and secretaries in the lower conference room. He smiled when he entered answered a question or two and then left as he felt suddenly just drained.

He couldn't explain the feeling; he was Neal Caffrey conman extraordinaire why had he been feeling so tired lately. This would happen sometimes he would just get dizzy or feel as if he was wading though thigh high syrup. He was down the hall leaning against the wall he slowly dropped to the floor after getting dizzy. He barely got himself together enough that he could stand up on shaking legs. He smiled at Jones but Jones didn't really smile back.

"You okay Neal you look a little ashen," Jones touched Neal's forehead before Neal could move his head out of the way, though a second later that was a terrible mistake as the room started to spin again.

"I'm fine just you know a little dizzy," Neal admitted to appease his friend if he didn't give in a little he would have to go to the doctor and that was something he didn't need he was fine just stressed.

"Then maybe we should go eat our lunch," Jones shrugged it off but filed it away to bring up later to Peter, Jones would have wished he brought it up sooner rather than later.

WC

2 weeks later and Neal was still stressed though it was different now but right now he was sleeping. Neal was sleeping and Peter was on his chest El's hand stuck in Neal's hair his mouth open. Neal was wheezing his lovers thought it was odd that he was breathing so hard from after sex over 2 hours ago and they knew that Neal wasn't sick.

Peter woke up first he was directly under the source of that wheezing he looked at Neal really looked and saw that Neal had less color and that his lips where wide as if trying to steal more air. Peter got off of Neal and then pressed his ears to Neal's chest listening to Neal's lungs nothing was wrong. Neal's lungs where clear it didn't sound like he was sick or like asthma and yet Neal was wheezing it puzzled Peter.

El woke up next she had felt the shift of Neal and Peter all there limbs being tangled helped her wake up. She looked at the ceiling and then at Peter she wondered what in the world her husband was doing at 1 in the morning.

"What are you doing, hon," El whispered after getting herself to wake up enough to make a questioning face.

"Listening," Peter answered 'shh'ing' El so he could.

"I see that, why are you listening at 1 in the morning," El asked again it was too early or late depending on how you looked at it, to even broach the subject of listening to Neal when he wasn't talking.

"Shh just listen," Peter waved his hand though the point was moot when Neal started to wake up.

"Okay I know that I'm interesting and irresistible but since when am I listening worthy considering you never listen to me when I'm awake." Neal rubbed his face and pulled El's hand from his hair he kissed it and gave it back to her with a smile before he went back to sleep.

Peter puzzled over one more thing as something else clicked into place on the list of odd things Neal was unusually tired all the time lately. Neal had also let his swimming membership at the Y lapse just a month ago. The unusual thing about that was Neal hadn't been showing tracking data there he thought it might explain the sudden weight gain. The way Neal's ankles where swollen and his face looked like it was holding water compared to his usual skinny features.

Another thing to add to the list was Neal's cough, which chose that moment to show itself. It puzzled Peter to no end that Neal wasn't sick and yet he coughed and had been coughing for the last week and a half. At first they thought it was a cold but now Peter suspected it was something else. Neal coughed another time this time it was long and drawn out, that settled it in Peter's mind Neal was going to go to a doctor. The cough pronounced itself again as if suggesting 'better make that tomorrow agent.'

WC

"I'm fine Peter you should really stop worrying for me I am just fine in fact I'm great," Neal smiled brightly picturing his happiness because he was happy.

Even though he was stressed he had received radio silence from Mozzie for 3 weeks. Mozzie had promised to stay if Neal stayed and yet he didn't know where Mozzie was at the moment or the treasure the feed was gone and the warehouse empty. It was frustrating and liberating he had decided to stay and Mozzie it seemed had run.

"You are going to Dr. Summers today I'm driving you end of argument I'm just worried about you," Peter stopped as Neal coughed for a second behind his napkin. "And that is worrying me as well as you being tired and your sudden weight gain."

"I'm not fat," Neal rasped indignantly as he recovered from his coughing he was noticing that his hands where slightly blue around his finger tips.

"Stop that I'm not going to get into that with you instead, I'm going to drive you to the appointment at the end of the work day that Dr. Summers has generously agreed to meet you." Peter was getting frustrated because Neal was trying to dodge his attempts at taking care of him.

"Fine," Neal sighed resigned to his fate before he coughed not realizing that his body needed air at the moment not his attitude.

"I'm worried okay," Peter stated as he rubbed Neal's back up and down before Neal could catch his breath. Peter saw the sweat and knew that it was not hot in the restaurant in fact it was cold. Neal had that same pale face and when Neal looked back up at him Neal had blue lips.

Peter's heart sky rocketed he couldn't help it he was a worrier when it came to Neal and El. With good reason Neal and El had both been his bed rock and right now he was so uncertain at the moment when that treasure had gone missing he was sure it was Neal who had taken it but now it seemed that the little guy had taken it not his lover.

"Screw it I'm taking you now your lips are blue how hard is it for you to breathe," Peter asked concern lacing the harsh tone.

"Not that hard," Neal gasped after getting the look from Peter he faltered and told the truth, "okay actually hard it's a little hard."

"That's better," Peter passed Neal some water and paid for lunch then helped Neal to the Taurus so he could get to the hospital to see Dr. Summers. He dialed her number from the Taurus and Neal blanched at the attention.

"Hey Petey bo-beenie how is that job treating you still stressed," Dr. Summers answered. She was between shifts at the moment eating an apple and finishing her notes.

"Hey Sarah do you mind if you see Neal now because I think something is wrong, his lips turned blue a second ago on top of all those other things I mentioned I'm worried." Peter asked though he knew he could be forceful it was best just to ask when it came to Dr. Summers.

"I will be waiting with bells on why don't you meet me at my office, it must be your lucky day because I just ended my clinic hours and am now getting to my office and giving you my hour for notes." Dr. Summers smiled on her end of the phone but new what she was doing as she strode into her office and requested a nurse from internal medicine to show up for help.

"Okay we should be there within the next minute I'm near you now," Peter stated as he turned on to the street of St. Anna's Hospital.

"Oh goody I didn't even have to ask for delivery for you to come to me, see you in a sec Peetey bo beanie." Dr. Summers laughed before hanging up she enjoyed the Burkes as patients so she was hoping to see this Neal as a good patient too. She was no fool though she knew that being sick was never the best way to meet a new patient she had heard the coughing over the phone.

"Dr. Summers I was doing the magic trick for just you," Peter signed off as he got out of the car and helped Neal out.

"You did magic I have to see that," Neal suppressed a cough as he met a very strange Doctor on the 4th floor.

WC

"So Neal Caffrey I hear from a certain patient that you know two of my patients," she caught Neal's eye as she spoke the next word, "intimately."

"How do you know that," Neal asked as he felt the nurse tightening the blood pressure cuff.

"No one is supposed to lie to their doctor Neal. So anything that you want to tell me maybe something along the lines of your symptoms and why you're skyrocketing my favorite couples blood pressure." Dr. Summers chirped then added, "And your own high blood pressure?"

"When I was a kid I had a heart murmur like most but other than that I'm pretty sure that I just caught a cold and Peter is worrying himself to death as usual we're all pretty stressed right now." Neal told Dr. Summers he like her she joked with Peter and that meant she was good like Elizabeth. He laughed at his tired antics because truthfully if he had enough energy he could make this woman believes that she was sick and that he was the doctor. But right now he was tired besides he was fine it was probably just a cold.

"I see do you mind if you hold this for me as I listen to your ticker blue eyes," Dr. Summers flirted with Neal as she noticed that Neal was leaning against the back wall for more support on the exam table.

Dr. Summers clipped an oxygen rate monitor onto Neal's index finger taking note of the cyanosis there and slight blue tint of the rest of Neal's lips. She rubbed her stethoscope before sticking it under Neal's not so crisp dress shirt. She listened there was the lub but the dub it was off there was the heart murmur that most children grew out of but there it was again just a little too loud.

"Mr. Caffrey did you say you had a heart murmur as a child," Dr. Summers received a nod for her question she asked another. "Did the doctor that treated you at a young age say if it was harmless and that you might grow out of it," another nod.

Dr. Summers took in the oxygen reading and nodded to the nurse to take note of the 85 on oxygen level and handed over the chart.

"Hey Blue eyes how about we deal with the breathing problem I don't like it when I can't breathe trust me I have asthma." She smiled and got a nasal canula from a cabinet and turned on the oxygen to just enough for above room air rate and saw the meter climb to 94 by the time she was writing the rest of the information she had gathered from listening to Neal's heart.

"Better?" Dr. Summers asked her almost dozing patient she was convinced the sound of the whooshing was a 4 to her trained ear. She would be putting a call to Dr. Faux, a cardiologist who had mentored her while she was an intern, as soon as she got the referral paper.

"Much though I really think your overreacting now too," Neal persisted as if he was invincible "I was 8 maybe 6 when I had a small VSD it would close on its own

I just have a cold."

"Neal Caffrey do you really believe that?" Dr. Summers asked she got some words in the affirmative and that is when she told him she told him he was not invincible. "Neal, your heart is making sounds of VSD again but I think it's louder than when you we're younger. I think that stress and maybe other factors have aggravated your heart. And now I think that and this is with years of experience as a cardiologist before I became a general practitioner that you were misdiagnosed. When you where little you had a small VDS now you have a ventricular septal defect that is medium maybe large not small in your heart for that I'm sure."

"I see," Neal said and then he got really quiet so Dr. Summers left to get Peter while the nurse stayed with Neal.

WC

"Peter I have to tell you this information as Neal's medical proxy because you need to know in an emergency but as his lover you need to comfort him." Dr. Summers stated bluntly as she was not a pussy foot.

"What are you telling me?"

"Neal has VSD a ventricular septal defect I'm pretty sure it's in his pulmonary artery or just I need to run more test but I'm going to get my mentor to look at him okay," Dr. Summers promised her friend as she walked back with him to the exam room for Peter to see Neal.

WC

"This isn't exactly what I was expecting when I felt tired and got a cough from nowhere the lack of oxygen does explain the being dizzy though," Neal rasped obviously just getting down from a coughing drag.

Peter noticed the nasal canula under Neal's nose and felt the room buckle a little now seeing his lover like that. The only good thing was Neal was clear from the treasure as Mozzie was obviously the one who took it he was just glad to have Neal no more arguments. He thought that Neal had been okay but he guessed the stress was worse than he thought as he sat next to Neal and let him cry on his shoulder.

"You're okay," Peter repeated into Neal's hair because he really wasn't that good with crying.

"Bu 'm n't kay," Neal mumbled into Peter's shirt and he looked into chocolate brown eyes as he repeated, "Bur I'm not okay."

Neal gestured to his face where his lips had turned blue, his pale complexion, the nasal canula, the oxygen monitor on his finger and the low number for oxygen blood ratio knowing that the level should be in the high 90s to a 100 not at 96 now. He then buried his face in Peter's collar because quiet frankly he didn't want to be 7 again and have a heart problem with false promise of everything being okay.

"Okay but Dr. Summers says that she is calling a friend right now who will make sure that we know more," Peter tried to reassure Neal as he continued to burry himself into Peter's shoulder and chest. Peter heard Neal breathing he heard the wheezing again and he looked down to see an asleep Neal.

Peter sent a text to El which then turned into a series of calls explaining the situation to El and Hughes all the while Neal slept. El was in his mind as she closed up shop across town and said she was going to run over as soon as she could, kept floating in his head along with Hughes worried words in Peter's mind. That was until a Doctor in a red dress came into the exam room after a short nock.

"Hello my name is Dr. Faux as in fake not enemy trust me I am not your enemy Mr. Burke I presume the young man sleeping on your chest is Neal." Dr. Faux clipped her sentence indicating Neal still asleep on Peter.

"You would presume right, am I right to assume that your not a fake though," Peter asked as he tried not to wake Neal.

"You would assume correctly," Dr. Faux smiled and then handed Peter a piece of paper. "This is a referral from Dr. Summers stating that Neal is having a consult with me as a cardiologist specializing in valves do you understand as Neal's medical proxy?"

"Yes I understand though he might not he is sleeping," Peter spoke a little harshly to Neal for keeping him in the dark of the fact that Neal actually had a heart murmur as a child. It was only curved because most children do from harmless to harmful it seemed that Neal had all the luck including bad when it came to medical problems.

"Then I guess we better wake him," Dr. Faux stated simply as she reached over Peter and shook Neal's shoulder to wake him and gave a quick introduction similar to the one she gave Peter.

"Nice to meet you," Neal murmured with his blood shot eyes as he tried to stay awake for the new doctor this one who would give him answers.

"Now I have questions and I'm sure you do to so you go ahead and ask your questions but first I would like to hear that whooshing my colleague is talking about." Dr. Faux pleasantly smiled at Neal much like Ellen used to smile at him he instantly liked her for that smile.

"Okay but I don't think my heart does any other tricks," Neal offered as he let the cold metal hear the lub-dub of his heart.

"Yeah but each heart is unique and you strike me as unique so tell me what are your symptoms Neal," Dr. Faux asked her new patient.

"I'm tired a lot, can't breathe sometimes like now I can't really breathe that well, I get dizzy sometimes, my heart feels like it's running a marathon sometimes, and Peter says I have weight gain 'suddenly'," Neal air quoted the last bit for Dr. Faux then promptly let his hand drop to his lap as he was tired just from that. This was so not normal it was like he was getting worse by the minute or maybe it was just imagination.

"I see," Dr. Faux noted. "Tell me when did your symptoms begin and have they gotten worse over time, I see that you mentioned a previous diagnosis when you were younger but I assume that the symptoms have been brought back recently."

"About 3 weeks ago the stress in my life shot up and I think they could be getting worse," Neal tensed as Peter tensed next to him he got a reassuring squeeze from Peter.

"Have you ever fainted?" Dr Faux asked receiving a negative she moved on continuously asking question until she got to the bottom of the list. "So do you have any questions for me?"

"Just one," Neal cleared his throat as he thought about what Dr. Summers had told him ran through his head. "How large is the defect?"

"I couldn't say just yet without running some tests but based on your stress level, not coughing up blood and the fact that your oxygen level is not where it's supposed to be I think that it could be medium. I know that it's not small based on the sound. I also know that you're scared and if your not you will be."

"I have a question," Peter asked finally pulling himself out of the trance he had been in when Dr. Faux and Neal had answered questions. "What is the long-term outlook for this VSD?"

"It is unclear at the moment but most likely once we know more I think we will be looking at medication or most likely surgery to correct the hole in Neal's heart I would like to start testing right away. I'm going to admit Neal with his oxygen levels staying at 96 during this whole conversation is not something I like I also would like to hear more about this heart you have as much as the rest of you so I can better answer your question."

"I see well then where is the paperwork he likes to do things in triplicate," Neal pointed to Peter with a small smile on his face. As his mind spun with thoughts of surgery medication, testing he remembered his mom drinking and the fact that she made her heart worse. He cursed himself on the inside knowing that he drank though he was not an alcoholic like his mother he was not a saint.

"I do not like to do things in triplicate it doubles and that's only because I have to keep copies for my records and the bureau records." Peter volleyed back to Neal.

Neal, who simply looked tired and he was overwhelmed with the thought that the hole in his heart was literal. He had felt a hole in his heart when his father died, when his Kate died, when Ellen left this world, and it felt like the hole had been filling a little with El and Peter.

"I'm going to get that paperwork started a nurse will help you check-in in a second why don't you and Peter stay here. I will be back soon," Dr. Faux told the couple in front of her before she disappeared down the hall in search of a nurse who could help get Neal to the cardiology floor.


	2. dub

AN Thank you for seeing yourself to the next chapter and thank you for taking your time to reading my work.

Neal was on the 5th floor an IV attached to his arm lasiks and beta blockers pumping through his system. El sat next to the bed finally getting into the room after Neal had come back from a chest X-Ray only an hour ago. Neal was still being given oxygen it was good because he was weirdly winded still it seemed.

El had her tablet with her and according to the Mayo clinic a complication of VSD was Eisenmengers syndrome. Eisenmengers syndrome it seemed wrong that because Neal was diagnosed when he was older that he would get this irreversible complication. The doctors had suspected it but the wanted to make sure with a stress test and the X-Ray would give them a clearer picture. They had already done an echocardiogram and MRI but it was still being looked over by Dr. Faux.

El was saddened by this possibility she really hoped that Neal didn't have this syndrome that couldn't be reversed. It wouldn't help that Neal was within help but that the damage had been done. Eisenmengers syndrome was deoxygenated blood sent throughout the body and was supposedly seen throughout childhood not through adulthood so if it was she would have seen it for years.

Peter was sleeping on the small couch in the back of the hospital room a case file on his chest so as not to get bored. The small snoring coming from him made her smile a little. She was still reading up on VSD with everyone around her sleeping.

There was a slight knock on the sliding glass door before Dr. Faux came in with her smile and walked over to the computer terminal. She pulled up an X-ray she also tore off a print-out from the EKG attached to Neal. She smiled as if she knew something that had just made her immensely happy.

"I know it seems scary but I think Neal is doing better than we thought. His color is returning and the lasiks is bringing the swollen features down already. And I see that his X-ray is showing me something that I already suspected he doesn't have Eisenmengers syndrome." Dr. Faux noticed that El released a sigh or relief after telling her the news. "I think Neal is just under oxygenated because the hole is in the atrium where the blood mixes oxygen rich blood for oxygen poor blood. Then the blood goes through the body thinking that the only blood there is oxygen rich." Dr. Faux informed El.

"So either my blood is lost or its want to be a pauper," Neal croaked his voiced laced with sleep.

"You could say that," Dr. Faux smiled at her patient being awake.

"Hi honey," El kissed Neal on the lips feeling the plastic of the nasal canula as she ended the chaste kiss and returned to her seat.

"Hey you look as tired as I feel," Neal rasped to his lover she smiled at him.

"Well that's probably because your heart is doing extra work. Make a fist for me and let me show you something," Dr. Faux told Neal and El she pulled up the X-ray of Neal and pointed to Neal's heart. "See how big your fist is well normally that is the size of a persons heart in your case your heart is bigger than it should be." Dr. faux pointed from Neal's heart to the fist he had made just for this point.

"Well that makes sense," El answered for both of them.

"You see this," Dr. Faux asked the couple who apparently made up the other half of Neal's relationship. "This is not supposed to be there it looks normal until we look at your EKG and the echocardiogram it shows a hole in the atrium the upper part of the heart." Dr. Faux switched to a moving image of Neal's heart with all its lub and dub sound. She then pulled up a MRI shot of Neal's heart where you could actually see a small tear in the middle of Neal's heart.

"Pulmonary," Neal spoke to himself before he looked to the room at large, "When I was younger they thought it was in the pulmonary artery you think atrium?"

"I'm thinking that the septum has a whole and that I want to fix it but yes I'm pretty sure the upper part of the atrium. I'm going to schedule you for a stress test and then I'm going to talk to a few of my colleagues. I'm pretty sure I'm on the right track but I want to be sure. I'm going to send someone to talk to you about options for fixing this hole. I know it's scary but we found the problem and now we're going to fix it. You would be surprised but this condition is not fully diagnosed until people are adults a lot of the time." Dr. Faux added as an after thought to her patient.

"Mhmm," Neal responded as he thought over everything she told them.

"Good I will be back in the morning for the test why don't you get some sleep and we can talk more in the morning," Dr. Faux said as she signed off and went to close the glass door heading for the nurses station.

"You need to get some sleep why don't you take him home. I know he won't sleep well but why don't you let Satch out get out of here come back tomorrow," Neal pleaded to El.

"It's not that easy to get rid of us, Neal I left Satch with Diana and I have a bag for me and Peter. We will leave but when you leave too honey," El assured Neal as they spent the night with Peter snoring in the corner as hospital staff came in and out of his room.

When Dr. Faux administered the stress test Neal lasted 10 minutes before he had to stop and be given extra oxygen for the rest of the day. By the end of that day a cardiothoracic surgeon was brought in on his case and shown to Neal's room.

WC

"Mr. Caffrey?" a young surgeon asked before entering the room fully.

"Present," Neal answered looking up from a case file that Peter had left while he returned to work today.

Peter would be back later so would El. She didn't want to leave but she had an important client she would be back as soon the client meeting was over and the rest of her schedule could be rearranged with Yvonne.

"Good just making sure, I'm Dr. Pan I wanted to talk you about surgery options for correcting your heart." Dr. Pan greeted. He sat in the chair near Neal and showed him a picture of a heart and another picture of an abnormal heart it looked weird to Neal.

"So you know how to fix it or will I have to be on medication for the rest of my life," Neal asked he knew that he could be on medication which might mean he could be going back if he couldn't go undercover.

"I think that with my skills you could be back to work within the month at the latest. On desk duty within 3 weeks none of this undercover operation stuff in the FBI I watch on TV. I would like to do open heart procedure to fix this defect on the right atrium you're too old to do a catheter procedure." Dr. Pan pointed out as he circled a small tear between the heart valves in the right side and left side of the heart picture. "When this is all said and done your heart will be back to normal like this one," Dr. Pan tapped the other picture.

"Okay so what does that entail," Neal asked and Dr. Pan explained.

WC

"So he cuts you open and stitches the hole closed," Peter asked when he got back that day Neal told him all about what the surgeon had planned.

"Well yeah but it's the one the surgeon wants to do because the hole is higher and he says I'm too old for the other procedures," Neal told Peter who seemed to blanch at the idea of surgery on his partner.

Peter started to pace but a hand on his shoulder stopped him he turned to see El. El smiled at him and gave him a quick kiss she knew he wouldn't truly calm down until Neal was safe.

"I know this isn't easy but we just have to get through this because Neal needs us," El calmed Peter so they could sit beside Neal.

"I'm going to be fine but we have to just wait and see and I know how much you hate that," Neal told Peter. He hated waiting too probably about as much as Peter if not more it was why he hated the van.

"Okay we wait and see after the surgery, when is it scheduled tomorrow?"

"Yes at 8 p.m. then I should be home by Saturday and we can all sleep a little better," Neal soothed his lovers kissing them softly.

WC

"Ready for me," Dr. Pan asked in all his surgery garb as he saw Neal wheeled into the operating room.

"Well if not this is going to be really awkward," Neal told the surgeon feeling not as confident as his words.

Neal had been shaven, his chest was now hairless and there had never been any hair on his chest to begin with but now there really wasn't. He was not fine with the idea of surgery much like Mozz he hated hospitals but for different reasons.

"So I'm going to start with introducing the room and then we're going to start the surgery okay," Dr. Pan seemed to ask but then people started talking about names and titles

"Dr. Pure anesthesiologist," Dr. Pure said as he began setting up an IV with general anesthesia readying the general.

"Pam surgical nurse with assistance of Vanessa and Lacy," Pam smiles at the young man named Neal as she pulled a surgical tray closer to the operating table and pointed to Vanessa and Lacy as she named them.

"And these are two surgical residents who will be assisting me Neal their names are Dr. Green and Dr. Mote," Dr Pan pointed to the two surgical residents who entered the room and where having their scrubs wrapped in surgical garb by Vanessa and Lacy.

"This is the part where you tell us your name and why you are here today," Dr. Pan requested of what he was pretty sure was his patient.

His mentor had instilled the surgery checklist though so he went over it anyway mainly because it normally saved a few lives with the last two questions. The other thing that he used this checklist for was to remind everyone in the room that Neal or any patient on his table was a human being with a life.

"Neal Caffrey, ventricular septal defect to be fixed by open heart surgery," Neal tentatively told the room at large because he was scared right now he felt just so vulnerable.

He was not shy he was just scared and he was about to undergo surgery for something that he figured was he knew stupid to think but a part of him. That was his last awake thought as the anesthesia did its job.

"Are there any concerns by the staff at this time," Dr. Pan asked the room at large he looked at the residents, the surgical nurse, and the anesthesiologist didn't look like they had any concerns.

"I think we should get some more blood I don't like only having one bag of A+ for back up," Vanessa piped up, Dr. Pan smiled at her. He expected that one from someone he was going to have called more up from the blood bank if no one had said something he would have.

"Go call for three more pints and then we can get started," Dr. Pan assuaged Vanessa worries as well as his own and then saw Neal start fading as Dr. Pure pushed the general into his veins.

"Today is a good day to save a life," Dr. Pan remarked with his motto as Pam and Vanessa began to scrub iodine onto Neal's right side of his chest and then draped Neal in paper sheets.

Neal didn't stir when his mouth was opened and Dr. Pure intubated him, he didn't stir when Dr. Pan made a cut down the midline of Neal's chest. Neal didn't feel the muscle and skin being ripped open by the scalpel cutting through flesh.

"Bone saw," Dr. Pan asked of Pam who then placed it right at the start of the breast plate.

"It's looks good no excessive bleeding from the bone," Dr. Green told the surgeon as he placed retractors so he could spread the ribs.

"Ah the pericardium is here, it looks good, let's cut away the sack," Dr. Pan asked for the scalpel as he saw the first glimpse of Neal's heart.

"Oh well hello gorgeous," Dr. Pan talked to the heart like it was a living being and in a way it was, "okay let's connect him."

Dr. Pan switched the heart and lung machine on and the blood supply disappeared out a tube then the heart seemed to shrink. The heart still beat through the small amount of blood from the capillaries it was significantly slower though. He clamped the aorta isolating the circulation from the heart it was sad but he had to stop Neal's heart to fix it.

"Ready with the potassium," Dr. Green held out what Pan had just handed him to Dr. Pan

"Okay we have the flush done now bring me the cold water," Dr. Pan comanded to the room at large as the machine was connected to Neal and the machine took over working for Neal's circulation.

"We have a response," Dr. Pure said as he looked at Neal saw the rise of goose bumps on Neal's spread arms.

"Shivering," Dr. Pan asked finishing with the water to protect Neal's heart.

"No just goose bumps please note it Lacy," Dr. Pure asked of Lacy the nurse recording for the doctor's reports.

"Yes Doctor Pure," Lacy chirped she was such a secretary sometimes and less of a nurse.

"When opening the atrium let's make sure that he doesn't bleed to bad okay." Dr. Green joked because they new it was an impossibility to not have Neal bleed when cut.

"We're ready to proceed with the closing of the defect," Dr. Pan said to the room at large as he started to stitch together the hole in Neal's heart.

Dr. Pan stitched the atrium back together and hoped that the polypropylene was going to hold. With time Neal would heal and the stitches would disappear and hopefully his patient would just think of this as another experience.

"Release the clamp and let's see if our stitches hold, take note of the time Lacy," Dr. Pan ordered the nurse. He looked down to the chest cavity he rubbed the heart muscles with his fingers hoping he didn't have to restart Neal's heart it had been going so well so far. He watched as Neal's heart beat for the first time not mixing oxygen rich blood with deoxygenated blood.

"Okay tell me about the levels Pure," Dr. Pan asked his colleague.

"He is holding steady at 97 on oxygen and rising now, we have a good pressure I see no reason to keep him on the machine," Dr. Pure gave his recommendation to switch Neal off the heart machine as he saw improvement from where he had been 30 minutes ago.

"Okay then Dr. Mote will you close," Dr. Pan asked his resident who he knew had a good record with closing.

"Yes," Dr. Mote eagerly answered smiling behind his mask for the opportunity.

Dr. Pan closed the tubes and let all the blood flow back into Neal letting the heart take over. Neal's heart took over without a hitch. He closed the pericardium sack and then let Dr. Mote take over.

Dr. Mote was not a heart surgeon he was in fact a double study in surgery of the bones he thought he would be the next Denton A. Cooly, the inventor of sternal talons. The sternal talon replaced sternal wiring that would often move or break and be more harm than good once the sternum was broken in surgeries like this.

He measured the bones separation when he released the spreader between Neal's ribs. He was pleased to see that Neal was a good candidate for the sternal talons instead of wiring or screwing his chest shut.

"First set of talons please Pam," Dr. Mote held out his hand as he left his finger over his visual markers. "Give me the next set, please," Dr. Mote asked of the matronly surgical nurse.

"Here you are," Pam smiled as she handed over the next two clips; she liked Dr. Mote he was always polite and interested in things like her son.

Dr. Mote placed 3 of the talons and pulled them close together. Pam handed him the tool used for tightening the talons. He did this in precise movements hoping to get the right tension that was needed and yet seem more comfortable if that was possible.

"Okay we're good can you hand me the polypropylene so we can stitch the incision closed," Dr. Mote asked.

When stitching it was like stitching was an art to Dr. Mote. As he made a pattern with a half inch spacing after that was done with the repair. Dr. Mote applied the bandage over the stitching asked Lacy to make a note of the time and saw that Dr. Pan and Green leave the room to scrub off the blood. Dr. Mote saw the transfer of Neal to recovery while Dr. Green disappeared to do charts and Dr. Pan informed the family.

WC

"Mr. and Mrs. Burke," Dr. Pan asked the couple holding hands in the corner, "Neal did great he came through the surgery without a hitch and now we're just going to wait for him to wake up."

"That's good news," El sighed with relief her shoulders relaxed with Peter next to her as she sunk further into him.

"I know you're anxious to see him let us get him settled in recovery then we can take you back to see him," Dr. Pan reassured the couple.

"Thank you doctor," Peter confided to the young looking doctor probably only a little older than Neal he realized.

Peter kissed El on the temple and rubbed her shoulder so he could hold her close. He wanted her close because he knew that El wanted the comfort as much as he needed it. It was a reminder that they where both still here for Neal when he would wake up and go home with them.

WC

"Hey honey," El cooed to Neal as she saw movement behind his eyes his breathing had hitched when he flashed those blue eyes.

Neal looked around the room saw the woman next to him and smiled as she came into focus the brown hair and blue eyes, El. He coughed in front of her, he would not recommend to anyone after surgery, El held a pillow over his chest which helped some then she poured a glass of water.

"It's okay, you're okay," El consoled her boyfriend as she said, "take small sips and hold the pillow to your chest it helps."

El remembered her uncle after having open heart surgery from a car accident, his chest had been wired. Neal apparently had clips and it was likely a lot different but the nurse had told her if Neal coughed that he should use a pillow over his chest. She had instructed that this pillow would help when Neal was in the car as well and apparently whenever needed for the first months.

"Hey you look tired," Neal rasped to El, "where's Peter?"

"He just went to get some coffee he'll be back in a second. It's Thursday so Diana and Jones are going to stop by after work," El assured Neal she stroked a piece of fly away of hair.

"Don't worry I didn't run off too far," Peter returned through the sliding glass door on the cardiology wing coffee in one hand a crossword puzzle in the other.

"Okay Mario," Neal mocked the fact that Peter hadn't shaved in 4 days and had started growing what was the beginning of the mustache.

"Hey I was worried don't get snippy with me about the Magnum PI impersonation," Peter sassed to Neal who smirked at his lover.

"I never liked the whiskers in the first place," El chimed in to the flirting.

"Oh I don't know you said it felt good on a certain part of your body," Peter reminded El of when he had the moustache in their first few years of marriage.

"I never said that part of my body didn't miss your 'stache," El smiled and let a little blush on her face.

"Okay now I'm lost," Neal informed his lovers.

"It's okay your tired and we'll show you when your ready," Peter winked at Neal.

WC

"Neal you awake," El asked as she looked in the backseat to see Neal fast asleep in the back seat of the Taurus.

Neal had been released today and it was Saturday 8 in the morning, the Burkes where taking him home and he had fallen asleep in the backseat. Neal had a pillow in between his chest and the seatbelt. Neal had a band aid on his chest hidden by a simple white shirt the rest of his outfit believe or not was a pair of old pjs. Neal had slept through the drive from the hospital to Diana's to pick up Satchmo and now he was sleeping just outside the house.

"I guess that answers that question," Peter yawned as he looked at Neal asleep.

"Come on let's get him up stairs and we can finally sleep for the first time in a week," El advised her husband as she left the car. She grabbed Satchmo's leash and Neal's bag from the back leaving Neal for Peter to get.

"Hey Neal wake up," Peter whispered to Neal as he crouched to his partner and saw those blue eyes with bleary redness behind them.

"I'm up," Neal rubbed his face with his hands and unhooked his buckle.

"Good we're going to go upstairs and sleep the weekend away how do you think that sounds," Peter asked as he helped Neal stand and start walking up the front stairs.

"I would make a kinky joke about spending all day in bed but I'm too tired, yes that sounds good," Neal kissed Peter chastely as they slowly made their way up the stairs where El already was pulling back covers and placing pajamas on the bed for her and Peter.

WC

"Hey honey," El smiled as Neal walked down the stairs on Monday unaided.

"Hey my love," Neal smiled carefree at the most beautiful woman known as El.

"You want some breakfast, oh don't bother looking for Peter he already left I'm staying home with you today he gets tomorrow and Thursday I get Wednesday and Friday then we all get the weekend again." El informed Neal as she brought a bowl down and handed it to Neal.

Neal pretty much didn't really feel like eating too much it was morning and he was not allowed coffee, it was sacrilegious. He smiled as he heard he wouldn't be left alone he didn't need a babysitter but he knew that his partners cared and worried over him.

"I liked the weekend we slept and watched a good movie or at least you two did sorry I fell asleep during." Neal apologized though he knew El would wave it off like she did that second and kissed him deeply leaving him wanting more.

Neal blinked and found that he loved El deeply but doing anything would be a terrible idea. He wasn't that impulsive he had tried sex once with broken ribs not something he would recommend. He ate his bowl of fruit for breakfast as she ate her cream of wheat with a little cinnamon.

"So I was thinking Mediterranean for dinner if you feel up to it could you help me cook Mr. Sous chef," El pleaded her loving boyfriend.

"Trying to keep my heart healthy I see, how could I say no love," Neal sealed the promise with a kiss.

El and Neal finished their breakfast then watched a movie it was an old murder mystery classic called "Dial M for Murder." Neal fell asleep once the movie was over and "Witness for the Prosecution," started which El watched and then woke Neal to take his antibiotics.

By the time it was 5:30 Neal was helping cut up some tomatoes and spinach for the added flavor to the chicken. El was sautéing some chicken in olive oil and when she was done with the initial cooking she added the tomatoes and spinach. El gave a quick kiss as he moved onto the salad.

Neal was setting the table when Peter walked in the door with a box of case files and a smile on his face at seeing Neal up. Peter still saw that Neal was pale and exhausted but he saw that the weekend of sleep had done vast improvements on his appearance.

"Hey hon," Peter laughed at that he meant both his lovers when he said that sentiment.

"What," El asked when she set the salad down.

"Nothing it's just a goodnight to be home," Peter told his lovers before he set the case files down and went to sit down for dinner.

WC

"Neal it's time for your meds," Peter shook Neal awake.

"I'm up," Neal answered the summons to wake up.

Peter handed over the pill bottle which Neal opened and took them with the glass of water offered to him. Neal looked up and saw concern in Peter's eyes he wondered what was wrong. Peter answered his question of what was wrong before he asked though.

"You where talking in your sleep just wondering if you forgot the bad dream," Peter inquired because Neal had screamed before he started to stir.

"No I think maybe it was the plane but other than that I can't remember anything else," Neal admitted to Peter.

Peter turned down the TV volume with the game on, "Want to talk about it."

"Not really mainly because I don't remember it," Neal explained as he sat up on the couch and pulled what he assumed was the afghan from the back of the couch closer.

"Cold," Peter asked innocently enough but he got a disapproving look from Neal for his question.

"Don't be a hoverer I'm not that cold and no I don't have a fever," Neal scolded Peter before giving in a little with a smile.

"Okay," Peter gave in and raised his hands in the air before sitting behind Neal and turning up the game again.

"Who's winning," Neal dutifully asked Peter about the game it was boring but it was lulling him to sleep.

"Well we're up 4 and the other guys are scratching their heads you know today was almost a wash out game," Peter told Neal after giving a look of his own one that said 'you care are you sure you're not running a fever.'

"Mhmm," Neal lazily responded Peter before yawning and leaning his head against Peter's shoulder.

"Love you, you know that."

"Love you to and don't you forget that," Neal finished the sentiment before lazily watching the game with Peter.

THE END!

AN I hope you have enjoyed this attempt at filling a lovely prompt from a lovely author.I love you for reading and thank you if you comment but mainly thank you for time. One last thing I like hurt comfort Neal especially fever Neal so I'm going to be going over old prompts see you all soon

-Solce.


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